No 5 lb weights!!!

I think one of my most frustrating things in teaching a group fitness class is those people (usually women) that grab 5 lb weighs for the workout! I always tell the class that my gym bag weighs more then 5 lbs and as proof I weighed it. It weighed 7.3 lbs.

How can lifting 5 lb weights help you reach your fitness goals if you lift more then that on a regular basis? Again, I don't assume that everyone is in my class for fat loss, but I'm pretty darn sure they have some sort of goal they are trying to reach. IF THE BODY ISN'T CHALLENGED, IT WILL NOT CHANGE! Another way to look at it: It nothing changes, nothing changes.

I'm sure participants that aren't looking for fat loss want to get stronger, more defined and have an over all sense of well being, all of which are benefits of exercise....IF it makes your body react. I have written this before as well: even if you don't have fat loss goals, I'm pretty darn sure you don't want to burn muscle to fuel your work outs. I bet you would prefer to burn stored fat, which is really stored energy, instead. If you burn muscle, your metabolism will DEcrease, something I know no one wants to happen!

So remember, next time you take a group fitness class, or go into the gym to lift some weights:

NO FIVE POUND WEIGHTS!!!!!
(otherwise you'll like the shapeless, but thin, woman above from 1985).